TIEH | Chapter 9

“…Ian.”3109458dd6ea2958

“……”a9de66fc7fd218a6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ian.”2b082b389fc67ad1

“……”583e1bc950ce6d2c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ian!”448267c2b3015f4a

A voice nearby snapped 5f42f89aa3 me back to reality. Ian was definitely my fa59a6c1b3 name, but it felt 849fab844c strangely unfamiliar.9f316ae122ef8bd9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Why are you so out of it today?”9ca2eb42e89a3b20

“…Sorry. I was just lost in thought. What did you say?”e67cd48c2e2222cf

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What are you going to do after this job?”d177caa5ef579fc3

There was 731f3c9894 no such 6f86f1d67b thing as 49d4055053 a short 604deada1e job, but 4cad3d8e42 this one 938102e735 felt particularly 6f35a0909b long. Maybe it 50b6034c67 felt longer 3130dbb663 because I ba7c40893a thought it 8faca0f6a0 might be 411f5b94c7 the last.5fece69809c784c7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Well…”152dbd674cb1583a

I trailed off, looking d50fdb786f down at the phone 1eb79bb93f in my hand. On the 11b7949d86 screen was 467f159d51 the web 745ca46725 novel I 2360e45699 had been c983ddaf90 reading.6fee6e0178344620

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I wasn’t good at anything, and I didn’t particularly want to do anything either. Then I stumbled upon web novels, and they were good for passing the time, so I read them whenever I had the chance, regardless of genre.4c030adf66ebe4ca

But if someone asked if I liked reading web novels, I wouldn’t know how to answer. I couldn’t tell if it was a hobby or just an escape from reality.d372540cf462e7ef

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You kept saying you wanted to go back to Korea. Haven’t you decided what you’ll do there?”0b682078464c51a8

“No.”030a4f397877073e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Finding what you 8c8dbfc6b6 have to do 056fec885a is easy, but 14f6e1900e finding what you aff0e028e7 want to do 28c4916ece is hard. Saying I wanted to d9f3842933 go back to Korea e0e8f07e31 was just chasing a c058b1782d vague memory.2c3b4533104a1de3

‘Still…’ef9557db217ae1c6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I looked back at 6853abf5ce the screen.ab2e58b7738828d3

Calix stepped back with 3cf0758e04 a hardened face, watching 1aa2730176 Ein stagger, pale as 8b5adbf22d a ghost. He knew that 352cb10da6 pale face. It was the face 11ce902d20 his only friend, Jayden 34cfbea8e2 Liddell, wore right before 5828aae9ab he died.829a308e222ce8cc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Calix had witnessed countless deaths. War was a disaster that devoured countless lives, so he couldn’t dwell on each life that faded every second. Yet, he could never get used to saying goodbye forever to someone close. So Calix chose to distance himself from everyone.ec2a926c488bffe3

But seeing Ein, who looked like she might collapse at any moment, he couldn’t remain indifferent. It meant he couldn’t see her as a complete stranger.17cea88d60bb689d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘…This isn’t right.’2e98a5ac1bfabb18

Yeah, something was wrong.a8ef9ec1c77ffb78

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

After Jayden’s death, Calix vowed to live like a coward forever.ea0cd26bf8327e6f

So, to d38a5f79f9 avoid getting a80844fb74 hurt again, c5b53cd661 he had 1f753931d1 to push 25c886ed1a Ein away.c4108703ce85c856

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I skimmed dc5f361207 over the 647dc00f7a line about 76100a191b living like 5d6357d6f3 a coward 6ccc67cab5 several times 4b33d36741 and chuckled a29b5e55fb softly.014d12e01da8429a

“Maybe I want to live like a coward too.”83f3cca9b5852ec5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I couldn’t put down this boring novel because Calix and I were alike.cdb036235fc9cec9

☀︎ • ☀︎ • e5dee3aef7 ☀︎05dcbf5faebacb10

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It seemed the heavy weights were not only on Calix’s ankles heading to the Ducal Castle but also on my eyelids. I struggled to lift my eyes, which felt unusually stiff. My body felt so heavy that I didn’t even have time to indulge in the nostalgia of dreaming about an ordinary day from the past.60da87145ab7d514

“Jayden…?!”1558da737fe52b06

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

After blinking 2d11cc9067 a few 46338f2efa times, my 7c48d12714 blurry vision fc809e8431 returned to cbf17f1917 normal, and 597f60dc9f my mind a32561d5b2 started functioning b0cc850452 again.3ab4e3ba6d2e8f06

There had been strange symptoms before I collapsed, and I even had a nosebleed. No, the fact that I suddenly fainted despite being fine meant my body wasn’t normal.20d15c20110cf401

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ah, young master—”a7be6596a1a94cb3

Seeing my mother crying ed5316f0dc sorrowfully while holding me 898a98b9a0 and my father trying b1a1c5e095 hard to hold back 013f2c53eb tears with red-rimmed eyes, 4d0a464dcd it was clear that 66b68091ed I had been diagnosed 7b5589aaa5 with a terminal illness 755db94af2 by the family doctor, f431fa91e8 Hemel.2ec3905cfa2f98b0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

My mother clung to 654565be5a my hand as if 8f2d8bc7b7 it were a lifeline, c40459ba63 crying for a long 8ad63e159a time, while Hemel, watching c947a6b82c sympathetically, asked me.ad6439179d3f8900

“Young master, do you feel any discomfort? Even minor symptoms are fine.”51b574bcfb31a69d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I feel heavier than usual. By the way, how long have I been out since I collapsed?”7fd4fcee9c6142e6

“…What? Ah, it’s been two days.”b1706e7565b87cce

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

No wonder my 02451044cd eyes felt stiff. I nodded 47fa799a05 calmly, and 452497d420 Hemel hesitated c3b9486b1b several times, fba8e4f4c5 contemplating how 997579a614 to convey 6fe43166e8 that I 5435f61ba4 was terminally 15e6539d54 ill. He seemed 5f5770837f to have c49581ed69 decided to d989591094 tell the ba21e308f7 truth, thinking b1ffd13807 it might b9a91e3da4 be kept 294004ca17 a secret 1cb76caca8 for a ef47f0eb30 while since d51d0272ce I was c5acbc0374 so young.42b9798b47229532

Well, my condition would worsen day by day, so even if they tried to hide it, I wouldn’t believe it. While I waited patiently, Hemel, who had been opening and closing his mouth several times, finally spoke as if spitting out a blade instead of words.154b5d42b1a11fa1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You have… an illness, young master. That is…”f01c9b877c01c7ed

“Yes.”901823de22ec08ff

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Mana sclerosis.”c25ef3d9be469785

Everyone knows about f8609d856e mana sclerosis. Since most c6640869f8 diseases can 6123b465df be cured 338098fc39 with divine 24411ca071 power, people c25198aff9 fear the 2203bbb513 few incurable 6c040742ac diseases even 104cf8b118 more.d9efb98a38e8a4c8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Unlike other diseases, mana sclerosis is notorious because it inevitably leads to death once it develops, and patients have a very short average lifespan, so Hemel didn’t bother explaining the disease.5569a2796cda3561

Though it was a shocking diagnosis for others, I already knew, so I was unsure how to react. Pretending to be surprised wasn’t an option since my acting skills were terrible, so I awkwardly nodded.0b9af2d688d10972

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I see.”20260f098a65a095

At that moment, dcf342b868 my mother, who b52bfa6cd9 had been sobbing c74062ca26 while holding my 17a35cf4b8 hand, looked up 809898c1af sharply. Her tear-soaked 3ee437d47b eyes slowly 75772d0a68 filled with 8a850eb7d8 shock.102f135cf7faebf8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Did you… know?”ec067334759cca96

“Pardon?”4b2a5417a188ca35

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Did you already know?”3219d65587db5b9e

“…No. It just hasn’t sunk in yet.”9aa34dee1f46fe93

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Is that why? Because you—”a894e8dcca1faa35

Seeing my 0ecde02f9d mother struggling faaec6b060 to speak efbc6fb67a through her ef9eb21883 sobs, I bbc0848031 swallowed a 30453d53e9 sigh. The piercing f847468fbb gazes of 84fb48b013 my father d594b55696 and Hemel, b9fcec5df2 who seemed e91e9d0610 equally shocked, 99c5f64eb3 were uncomfortable, fdfa0ce425 and my 6179af9bd0 heart felt f36029fd02 heavy.a84e8fe532d9f781

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In my second 3ae9f9cad0 life, I had 98ed377f02 a warm and 9935383a95 loving family for 6cb6830ef7 the first time, 83419087e0 and I wished 27b2d897c0 they would be 1a9142da4a a little less e3bc092cf6 sad, as if a393525886 receiving a precious a711526cd0 gift. So I chose 77554a4887 to distance myself 5eb0cf5a85 like a stranger.a7e12dd64f4c45ad

I ignored my parents’ longing gazes, who wanted to talk more, and didn’t even properly reply to my brothers who sent letters and gifts monthly despite being far away.0549f369b941998e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But hoping they wouldn’t be hurt was my selfishness.2f81b1951482e706

“How could I have known?”dfb00e58dd94c0b6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even without f5cc7b6a52 the vaguely 9a3b1b063b remembered original 4dee07af51 story, I 0977a6180d instinctively felt b3d637e6d7 something was 3ad57c6042 wrong. It was because 4a0a6da450 of the unusual 6c07b2dc55 symptoms that started 8a0ede312d two years ago.5abaabe98e2395ef

Though rare, there were times when my body suddenly felt sluggish as if I had stayed up all night, even without overexerting myself. And just like how the air feels heavy on very humid days, the air touching my skin started to feel uncomfortable. Even if I didn’t know the future, I would have realized something was wrong.9a8d44d7d350460e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Moreover, mana sclerosis is a condition one is born with, so the concept of development doesn’t exist. It’s just that you can’t confirm it until the disease progresses to a certain extent. So it wasn’t strange that I noticed my body wasn’t normal in advance.78ef3f2558e93085

“Please be honest. Hmm?”7fa54ef9a88115ab

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I could have just said no, but for some reason, the words were stuck in my throat, and I couldn’t get them out. My mother’s expression, which didn’t seem like she would believe me if I said no, was one thing, but my personality, which couldn’t lie and preferred to avoid answering, hadn’t changed.03cd0bab23e0eddf

Since I didn’t respond, Hemel, with a dark expression, chimed in.2d16f705513a3925

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Young master, you need to tell us honestly when the symptoms started so we can predict the progression of the disease.”0b6710732f269c3a

Hemel’s words weren’t wrong, but they would ultimately answer whether my mother’s suspicions were true. After hesitating for a moment, I had no choice but to answer truthfully so Hemel could diagnose my approximate lifespan.263a34c309aa910a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“It started two years ago. It wasn’t severe.”9bedfc0468cb7ab1

At my words, my a336fe93dc mother gasped as if 79b91a0cea the sky had fallen, ca4554b3da and my father tightly 512a667874 closed his eyes.6cad4c159f9d2ce4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“But why didn’t you say anything? If you had hinted to me…”c53483eca8709665

Hemel trailed off. As a doctor, he knew that telling wouldn’t have changed anything.74a6bd88cebfe383

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I gathered 9513a2bc1f my thoughts, 5d1eed7594 wondering what 318b19092b to say 354c3cd5c3 to comfort b767a719eb my despairing 50ad1a8b3a parents. Even in my second 096055c38c life, having parents was 32dba82ee9 a first, so everything 3d0c5d906f was difficult.d7ade05638d0bf46

“The symptoms were just similar to mana sclerosis, so I only suspected it. Considering that commoners without mana affinity typically die in their late twenties or early thirties, I guessed I might only live until about 20—”caf729a55fce0cc1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Since it was already discovered, I wanted to say they didn’t need to worry too much about me being shocked, but my father, who had been calmly observing the situation while comforting my sobbing mother, suddenly stood up.dd479c745604f0bc

“That’s nonsense!”fe2445d7ce76f059

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What?”cf40fc7dc5c94069

“I won’t let you go so easily! No, you won’t die, my child.”c70c7b0bff519d62

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In the original story, I died at 18, but I generously said 20, which didn’t help at all.d6ea5629d7b3306d

“Father.”4441063602b3206a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You have nothing to worry about. Just rest easy.”00f43bfc4e23103c

With those words, a6a17628b5 my father left 1f59bb68d9 the room as 9aac3fe381 if fleeing, and ccec91ab8e my mother struggled 3052972ae5 to hold back 779850b9ee her tears. It seemed b9ca7cdaa3 neither of e8a7904721 them was 584e67ded4 ready to cd2c664676 say goodbye bb56aeeb03 to me c0be89699d yet.f13ce7e2e80fe977

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

☀︎ • ☀︎ f6efb4f66d • ☀︎61e9e4cc2d7e21c4

My mother, more agitated than I was, was chased out by Hemel. Since I was the most important person to Hemel, the patient, he couldn’t let anyone make me more anxious. Though the wording was a bit harsh, it was essentially the same as being chased out.35efdac78b278935

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I wasn’t sure how much stress was related to mana sclerosis, but in my previous life, stress was called the root of all diseases, so I roughly accepted that mental and physical comfort was important. Hemel then informed me of a few precautions.31819d776769e87e

The first and foremost was to be careful with mana, and as mentioned, to minimize stress. Since no cure for mana sclerosis appeared until the end of the original story, Hemel wouldn’t have any solutions either.a7366aee1069504c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator